THIS REPORT on three experimental sections in Elementary German at Indiana University, 1944-45, consists of three parts: (1) descriptions of the methods used; (2) test scores and explanations; (3) conclusions. These special sections were established to study teaching methods on a comparative basis. Thus the three sections, described in detail below, were identical in all external respects: each class met two hours a day, five days a week, for two semesters of fifteen weeks each; all classes met at the same time, 10:00 A.M. to 12 noon; each teacher had complete freedom in method, choice of texts, and use of mimeographed materials; the sections were chosen by students in the usual way-the students were not selected; classes had equal enrollments of 15 in September, 1944 (Selective Service, illness, and withdrawals for miscellaneous reasons affected the sections differently as the year progressed); students were expected to devote one hour a day to outside preparation. The sections were taught by experienced teachers, each an enthusiastic proponent of his approach. The supervisor of the "Army" Method section had been a co-supervisor in our AST Foreign Area and Language program. The informant was not a trained teacher but was, we think, typical of individuals who would be available for any civilian program. In considering the test scores and the conclusions two factors should be kept in mind: (1) the goal of two years' work in German is proficiency in reading; the intent of the oral work and of the conversational practice was not to prepare students for working or living among Germans, it was to assist them on their way toward reading ability; (2) fluency in conversation can be only subjectively evaluated, hence it was not attempted in our testing. Very real achievements of several students in ability to converse in German should not be forgotten, even though no objective data on-this point will be found in Part II of the report.